PHB2 In-Play: The Sorcerer

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Another arcane striker?  Really?  You’d think that the warlock was enough…but the Sorcerer is a whole different beast, with more AOEs and a penchant for static bonuses that focuses on the absurd (see Zebith below).  Plus, the flavor on the Sorcerer is at once flexible, yet well-themed.  If you like some particular source of damage, be it fire, frost, necrotic, or lightning, the Sorcerer is the class for you!

So grab yourself some static bonuses,drop lightning on some unsuspecting minion, and check out these builds.

The Obvious Build

Nadarr Dragonborn  Draconic Sorceror/Blizzard Mage

Dragonborn were made to be Draconic Sorcerers.  Nadarr gets a little frosty, but doesn’t immediately go for the Wintertouched/Lasting Frost combo, mostly because he wants to AOE blast the hack out of his enemies and his buddies are likely to get in the way.  Coordinated Explosion/War Wizardy become must-have for him.

Nadarr

Dragonborn, Sorcerer, Blizzard Mage
Spell Source: Dragon Magic

FINAL ABILITY SCORES

Str 21, Con 11, Dex 13, Int 13, Wis 9, Cha 21.

STARTING ABILITY SCORES

Str 16, Con 10, Dex 12, Int 12, Wis 8, Cha 16.

AC: 22 Fort: 23 Reflex: 19 Will: 25
HP: 73 Surges: 6 Surge Value: 18

TRAINED SKILLS

Arcana +11, Diplomacy +15, History +13, Intimidate +17

UNTRAINED SKILLS

Acrobatics +6, Bluff +10, Dungeoneering +4, Endurance +5, Heal +4, Insight +4, Nature +4, Perception +4, Religion +6, Stealth +6, Streetwise +10, Thievery +6, Athletics +10

FEATS

Level 1: Implement Expertise (Light Blade)
Level 2: Arcane Spellfury
Level 4: Focusing Spellfury
Level 6: Dragonborn Frenzy
Level 8: Wintertouched
Level 10: Coordinated Explosion
Level 11: War Wizardry

POWERS

Sorcerer at-will 1: Dragonfrost
Sorcerer at-will 1: Burning Spray
Sorcerer daily 1: Ice Javelins
Sorcerer daily 5: Moon and the Stars
Sorcerer daily 9: Ice Stalagmites
Sorcerer encounter 1: Pinning Bolt
Sorcerer encounter 3: Poisonous Exhalation
Sorcerer encounter 7: Rimestorm
Sorcerer utility 10: Devour Magic
Sorcerer utility 2: Spatial Trip
Sorcerer utility 6: Fate’s Chaos

ITEMS

Wyrmtooth Dagger Dagger +3, Bloodthread Cloth Armor (Basic Clothing) +2, Amulet of Protection +3

The Interesting Build

Zebbith Drow Storm Sorcerer/Rogue/Daggermaster.

+24 damage bonus at paragon.  I am tempted to say “nuff said”, but I’ll elaborate a little further where this comes from.  Zebbith obviously is channeling his spells through a dagger via Sorcerous Blade Channeling.  He optimizes the weapon with Weapon Focus, grabs another dagger to access Two-Weapon Fighting and the brilliant-with-a-dagger Two Weapon Opening (take a basic attack with off-hand weapon when you score a critical.)  He further enhances his dagger-fu with Daggermaster…you know, that class that lets you crit on 18-20?  That one. He then wields a bloodclaw dagger in his mainhand to allow him to swap HP for more static damage bonuses.

Zebbith is a very naughty drow.  His main weakness is that he has to get into melee to do his most ridiculous stuff, and his defenses suck.  He will need frequent pairing with a defender to make sure he survives the counter-assault of anything left standing.  Which might not be a whole lot, but you still should prepare for contingencies…

Zebbith
Drow, Sorcerer, Daggermaster
Spell Source: Storm Magic

FINAL ABILITY SCORES

Str 9, Con 13, Dex 21, Int 13, Wis 11, Cha 21.

STARTING ABILITY SCORES

Str 8, Con 12, Dex 16, Int 12, Wis 10, Cha 16.

AC: 23 Fort: 16 Reflex: 20 Will: 23
HP: 75 Surges: 7 Surge Value: 18

TRAINED SKILLS

Arcana +11, Bluff +15, Insight +10, Intimidate +17, Thievery +15

UNTRAINED SKILLS

Acrobatics +10, Diplomacy +10, Dungeoneering +5, Endurance +6, Heal +5, History +6, Nature +5, Perception +5, Religion +6, Stealth +12, Streetwise +10, Athletics +4

FEATS

Level 1: Sorcerous Blade Channeling
Level 2: Weapon Focus (Light Blade)
Level 4: Weapon Expertise (Light Blade)
Level 6: Sneak of Shadows
Level 8: Rising Spellfury
Level 10: Two-Weapon Fighting
Level 11: Two-Weapon Opening

POWERS

Sorcerer at-will 1: Storm Walk
Sorcerer at-will 1: Lightning Strike
Sorcerer daily 1: Shocking Magnetism
Sorcerer daily 5: Glacial Armor
Sorcerer daily 9: Staggering Blast
Sorcerer encounter 1: Thunder Slam
Sorcerer encounter 3: Dancing Lightning
Sorcerer encounter 7: Spark Form
Sorcerer utility 10: Fog Form
Sorcerer utility 2: Dragonflame Mantle
Sorcerer utility 6: Lightning Shift

ITEMS

Lightning Dagger +2, Bloodclaw Dagger +3, Magic Githweave Armor +3

Four Powers

Here are some of my favorite powers for the {Class}

• At-Will: Lightning strike –all of the At-Wills for sorcerers seem tied up into the power source you’re using, but I’ll still vote Lightning Strike as being the most interesting for me, simply as a minion clearer.  Hitting up to two targets 10 squares away from each other equals ZAP! to any of the little buggers floating on the board.
• Encounter: Whirlwind –another storm power, this one gets my pick because it knocks prone and lets you ignore the center of the burst, meaning you can cast it on your defender or striker at the frontlines and provide him with an escape route/target-rich environment.
• Utility: Sorcerous Sirroco –I love powers that have great uses outside of combat.  The ability of this power to get you out of jams or solve non-fighting problems are nearly limitless.  Grab a buddy and fly!
  
• Daily: Thunder Leap –I feel that every striker should have a good escape button, and this certainly qualifies. The imagery is awesome as well; You leap into the air with a clap of thunder, throwing your surrounding enemies back while you ride the thunder (less exciting but less perilous than riding  the lightning) through the air and out of trouble.

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